HC directs BMC, MPCB to conduct joint inspections of seven project sites in MMR

Mumbai: As the city’s air quality continues to be ‘Moderate’ and not ‘Satisfactory’, the Bombay high court (HC) on Monday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to conduct joint inspections of seven major public project sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to ensure compliance with pollution control regulations

Mumbai: As the city’s air quality continues to be ‘Moderate’ and not ‘Satisfactory’, the Bombay high court (HC) on Monday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to conduct joint inspections of seven major public project sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to ensure compliance with pollution control regulations. The court has also asked them to take the required legal action in cases of non-compliance with any of these sites.

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A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and GS Kulkarni was hearing a suo moto public interest litigation taking cognizance of the poor air quality in the Mumbai Metropolitan region.

The direction was passed considering the submissions made by senior advocate Darius Khambatta that there are major public project sites around the city contributing to the city’s pollution. According to him, the seven sites contributing to the city’s bad air quality are — the suburban Bandra and Khar, the bullet train site at BKC, the Versova-Bandra sea link project, the Mumbai Metro-III, the Mumbai Coastal Road, and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.

The court further directed the state to consider a report of the transport department titled ‘Report of the Committee for the Identification of Measures for Reduction of Road Transport Emissions in MMR,’ which comprises stakeholders from various sectors, including automobile manufacturers, the police department, PCB, and even experts from IIT Bombay and NEERI, for implementation within 8 weeks. It is also directed to provide reasons in case the suggestions in the report are unacceptable to it. The HC also urged the state to consider setting up a statutory mechanism under the Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

The Court, in November, passed several interim measures to mitigate the air pollution in the MMR ahead of Diwali. The court, while noting the improvement in the air quality, expressed concern over the moderate AQI, which is far beyond satisfactory. A collective effort is required to be taken to bring the AQI to below 50 in the entire city, the court said.

The matter will now be taken up in six weeks on February 6.